The invention relates to improvements in an intermediate for a mailer type business form, the mailer so produced, and a method of manufacture thereof, which have advantages under a number of circumstances. The invention is particularly useful in association with negotiable instruments, such as bank checks, money orders, bearer bonds, and the like, which often can be seen through conventional mailer type business forms. There is a need for a business form in association with a negotiable instrument which can provide the necessary level of confidentiality so that there is no show through in the final mailer, and also one that can be simplex printed, is postal compatible, and gives the user of the intermediate more than enough room to print any desired information.
According to the present invention the above goals are accomplished by utilizing a four ply mailer type business form which can have the outgoing address and payee and amount information for a negotiable instrument simplex printed on the first face of the intermediate. The intermediate is provided with three fold lines, and folding takes place in an unusual manner. Rather than providing a standard double fold construction such as is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,314,110 and 4,575,121, the negotiable instrument is V-folded so that the negotiable instrument is xe2x80x9cinsidexe2x80x9d the mailer to be formed, and the first and second panels are Z-folded to produce a final mailer.
According to one aspect of the present invention a mailer type business form intermediate is provided comprising the following components: A substantially quadrate cut sheet of paper having first and second faces, top and bottom edges substantially parallel to each other, and first and second side edges substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom edges and substantially parallel to each other. The top and bottom edges spaced a first distance, and the side edges spaced a second distance, less than the first distance. First and second lines of weakness formed in the sheet adjacent, but spaced from and substantially parallel to, the first and second side edges, respectively, to define first and second removable side margin portions. First, second and third fold lines formed in the sheet substantially parallel to the top and bottom edges, and defining the sheet into first, second, third and fourth panels, the first panel between the top edge and the first fold line, the second panel between the first and second fold lines, the third panel between the second and third fold lines, and the fourth panel between the bottom edge and the third fold line. At least one pattern of adhesive in the side margins on both of the faces, the patterns for holding the sheet in a folded configuration as a mailer. And the fourth panel comprising indicia defining a negotiable instrument.
Preferably the at least one pattern of adhesive comprises pressure activated cohesive pattern elements in the removable side margin portions of the first face of the second, third and fourth panels, and the second face of the first, second and fourth panels. The pressure activated cohesive pattern elements in the removable side margin portions of the first face of the second, third and fourth panels, and the second face of the first, second and fourth panels, is preferably such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,918,128 and 5,201,464, and is sealed by using conventional sealers which apply a force of at least about 100 pounds per lineal inch (e.g. at least about 200 pounds per lineal inch).
The negotiable instrument defining indicia may be provided on both the first and second faces of the fourth panel. The indicia includes payee and amount indicia on the first face of the fourth panel, typically the payee of the bank check and the amount of the check, although also possible are bearer bond indicia, or money order indicia, and the amounts thereof. Typically outgoing addressee indicia, corresponding at least in part to the payee indicia (such as the name of the payee/addressee) is imaged on the first panel first face.
The intermediate also preferably comprises tacking adhesive patterns disposed substantially parallel to the top and bottom edges and positioned to hold the first panel second face to the second panel second face adjacent the top edge and the second fold line, and to hold the fourth panel second face to the second panel first face adjacent the first and third fold lines. Also preferably, but not necessarily, the panels are of substantially the same size. The at least one line of weakness separating the negotiable instrument from the rest of the fourth panel preferably comprises a line of weakness (such as a perforation line) on the opposite side of tacking adhesive on the fourth panel second face from the third fold line. Preferably the first, second and third fold lines are lines of weakness; and the distance between the top and bottom edges is about 14 inches; and the distance between the side edges is about 8xc2xd inches.
In order to minimize or substantially preclude any possibility of xe2x80x9csee throughxe2x80x9d or xe2x80x9cshow throughxe2x80x9d the intermediate preferably comprises security screening on the third panel second face, and on at least one of (and preferably both of) the first and second panel second faces.
According to another aspect of the present invention a mailer type business form intermediate is provided comprising the following elements: A substantially quadrate cut sheet of paper having first and second faces, top and bottom edges substantially parallel to each other, and first and second side edges substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom edges and substantially parallel to each other. The top and bottom edges spaced a first distance, and the side edges spaced a second distance, less than the first distance. First and second lines of weakness formed in the sheet adjacent, but spaced from and substantially parallel to, the first and second side edges, respectively, to define first and second removable side margin portions. First, second and third fold lines formed in the sheet substantially parallel to the top and bottom edges, and defining the sheet into first, second, third and fourth panels, the first panel between the top edge and the first fold line, the second panel between the first and second fold lines, the third panel between the second and third fold lines, and the fourth panel between the bottom edge and the third fold line. At least one pattern of adhesive in the side margins on both of the faces, the patterns for holding the sheet in a folded configuration as a mailer. And tacking adhesive patterns disposed substantially parallel to the top and bottom edges and positioned to hold the first panel second face to the second panel second face adjacent the top edge and the second fold line, and to hold the fourth panel second face to the second panel first face adjacent the first and third fold lines, when the intermediate is folded about the fold lines.
Preferably the tacking adhesive comprises widely spaced elements of pressure activated cohesive, including provided on the fourth panel second face adjacent the third fold line. Then preferably a line of weakness (such as a perforation line) is provided in the fourth panel substantially parallel to the third fold line and on the opposite side of the elements from the third fold line. The intermediate also preferably further comprises outgoing addressee indicia imaged on the first panel first face, and security screening on the first, second, and third panel second faces; and the at least one pattern of adhesive preferably comprises pressure activated cohesive pattern elements in the removable side margin portions of the first face of the second, third, and fourth panels, and the second face of the first, second and fourth panels.
The invention also relates to the method of handling an intermediate such as described in any of the preceding descriptions, comprising the steps of: (a) imaging at least some common variable indicia on the first faces of at least the first and fourth panels, including outgoing addressee indicia on the first panel first face; (b) folding the fourth panel about the third fold line so that the first face of the fourth panel comes into operative contact with the first face of the third panel, and then, after (b), (c) Z-folding the first and second panels about the first and second fold lines to bring the second panel first face into operative contact with the fourth panel second face, and the first panel second face into operative contact with the second panel second face.
According to another aspect of the present invention a method of producing a mailer from an intermediate comprising a substantially quadrate cut sheet of paper having first and second faces, top and bottom edges substantially parallel to each other, and first and second side edges substantially perpendicular to the top and bottom edges and substantially parallel to each other; the top and bottom edges spaced a first distance, and the side edges spaced a second distance, less than the first distance; first and second lines of weakness formed in the sheet adjacent, but spaced from and substantially parallel to, the first and second side edges, respectively, to define first and second removable side margin portions; first, second and third fold lines formed in the sheet substantially parallel to the top and bottom edges, and defining the sheet into first, second, third and fourth panels, the first panel between the top edge and the first fold line, the second panel between the first and second fold lines, the third panel between the second and third fold lines, and the fourth panel between the bottom edge and the third fold line; and at least one pattern of adhesive in the side margins on both of the faces, the patterns for holding the sheet in a folded configuration as a mailer. The method comprises: (a) folding the fourth panel about the third fold line so that the first face of the fourth panel comes into operative contact with the first face of the third panel; and then (b) Z-folding the first and second panels about the first and second fold lines to bring the second panel first face into operative contact with the fourth panel second face, and the first panel second face into operative contact with the second panel second face.
Preferably the adhesive comprises pressure activated cohesive and the method further comprises (c) applying a pressure of at least one hundred pounds per lineal inch to the folded intermediate to form a sealed mailer. Also, the intermediate preferably further comprises tacking pressure activated cohesive patterns disposed substantially parallel to the top and bottom edges and positioned to hold the first panel second face to the second panel second face adjacent the top edge and the second fold line, and to hold the fourth panel second face to the second panel first face adjacent the first and third fold lines; and then the method further comprises practicing (c) to seal the tacking adhesive to further seal the formed mailer. The method also preferably further comprises imaging outgoing addressee indicia on the first panel first face, and simplex imaging, at substantially the same time as the outgoing addressee indicia, negotiable instrument indicia, including at least some indicia in common with the outgoing addressee indicia, on the fourth panel first face.
The invention also comprises a mailer produced according to any of the methods set forth above.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a secure mailer type business form (and intermediate) and method for the production thereof) which has minimal or no show through or see through, may be simplex printed, and is postal compatible. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.